THE THEATRE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1307, 9 December 1911, Page 9

THE THEATRE.

(By SsLvuts.) Tho World's a theatre; the Earth a ttago.—Hcywood. Next Dramatic Attraction. The next dramatis attraction will bo the company headed by Miss Dorothy Dix, -Mr. William Desmoud, and Air.' Cyril Mackay, which is to open'horn in "Alias Jimmy Valentine" on Wednesday week next. Miss Dix, a recent importation from .England, is very young, and extremely beautiful actress, who had done vcr'v good work in the parts so far allotted to her. The company also includes Mr. Gaston Mervalo, .Mr. 'Leslie Victor. Mr. J. IS. Atholwood, and Miss Susie Vaughan. Adaptability of Australians.

Mr. Gilbert I'orteous, the producer of -Miss Ethel Irving's plavs, pavs a high compliment to Australians on'tho stage who have been associated with Miss Irving's productions. ''They are not onlv keen on their work," says .Mr. I'orteous, "but, show remarkable aptitude. Thev don't need to be told everything. They create for themselves, once the main idea is given them. Of course, 1 speak of (he 'small people' young and aspiring artists who havo not had much experience on tho stage, and who desire to get whatever experienco they can. There are Australian actors and actresses who have made big names for themselves in other countries, and often I see around inn .jnnny who will, one day, win fame, who are just now giving indications of what they will bo able to do when they have gained experience and maturity. 'What with Melba and Oscar Asche, Australia seems to be able to produce great artists who keep the name of the country prominently before the world. Australia could have no greater advertisement than Madame Melba." Mr. I'orteous is Miss Ethel Irving's husband.

Another Success. The Plimmor-Denniston Company have, scored another distinct success in "Inconstant George," lvhicli was staged in Brisbane a fortnight ago. All the papers seem to agree that the performance is one of the most brilliant given since the palmy days of the Brough Company, and anticipate that the young linn must do well out of it. The acting honours fall to Mr. Harry Plimmer as the inconstant one, and to Miss Lizette Paries, who scored a big hit as Micheline. Other good performances are given by Mr. Denniston, Mrs. Brough, Miss Beatrice Day, Miss Valentine Sidney, and Mr. Harry Sweeney. Pollowing upon ''Lover's Lano" and "Nobody's Daughter," this company appears to be finding it difficult to go wrong.

A Now Zealand Prima Donna. Miss Amy Murphy will appear as Nadiua in "The Chocolate Soldier" when tiic J. C Williamson New English Comic Opera Company goes to Now Zealand. The young soprano will thus return to hor native Dominion as the prima donna of ,an important musical combination. So far ns the music is concerned, "The Chocolate Soldier" makes vocal demands considerably in advance of those usually exacted in comic, opera. Miss Amy Murphy has not only the vocal equipment for the part, but in addition is an actress of ability: Her appcrances in the role in Melbourne and Sydney have won her the. highest praise. "The Chocolato Soldier" will be sent to New Zealand with.-tho complete cast that established its popularity : in Australia, the niece being staged on exactly the same scalo as in Sydney and Melbourne.

For-tho "Liberie"'Disaster, In an interesting letter to hand by tho last mail, Miss J,ilv- Bray ton writes:— "Woplayed the first courtyard scene out of 'Kismet' for tho victims of the Liberte disaster. It was a most interesting matinee, tho leading London theatrical and music hall artists contributing to tho programme. Sir Herbert Tree announced from tho stage that the sum of £WX> had l>een realised. Madame Rajane came ih.-to see 'Kismet,' and'was' enthusiastic about the production. She .asked lis if it would bo possible to take it over, to Paris to -play, it at her theatre. This, of course, is impossible, in .view of our Australian season, but it was nice to receive such a compliment ironi a great artist. We aro giving a big professional matinee of Musmef next Monday, and it is simply colossal what applications wo hav> had for -cats. Gerald iln Maurier, Irene Vanbrugh, Lilian M'Carthy, Vv'cedon Grossmith, Rotvrt Loraine, Ellis .leirerys, Madame Ada Crossle}-, Madame Kirkby L'unn, John Coates, and all tho well-known actors and actresses playing at tho West End theatres are coming. Also Mrs. John Lillington and Kate Crowe, who are two ot the oldest well-known living actresses in London. :

John M'Cormack Coming. The news that Mr. John M'Cormack is coming 'to New: Zealand will be received with pleasure-by all who have watched the meteoric career of the voung lri«h Y»<flist He is only 27 years of age. Air. M'Cormack has crowded a great deal of experience and incident into his career. Be is a County Meath luan. Ho. studied lor the Church, but cvcutuallv decided-on the civil service, but enter-1 ing a musical competition and winnin» tlio gold medal, he definitelv arranged to go in for a musical career. That was in i 9O . 0 ,- ,A>'? ar later, after studying under baubatim m Milan, he made his debut ut.bavoiia m "Faust." His success was sensational, and impresarios ' met him with more engagements than he could nil.- In 1907 he made his appearance at thoßoosey ballad concerts in London, aad became tamous after ono son". He was heralded as the Irish ballad singer of his time. C'ovent Garden made him an offer and he made his debut as the youngest tenor who had ever appeared at the great Opera House. He was then onlv 22 years old. binco that time he has "beensinging every season at Covent Garden, and he recently completed a three years' engagement there. He commences another four years' engagement on his return from Australia.

Such success has meant hard, relentless work, but Mr. M'Cormack has been assisted by natural ability, and a keen intellect, in addition to a'glorious and he has .won out.

i Only recently m Sydney he was asked to study the part of "Faust" in French, m order that, in one particular cast, ali the principals would be singing the same auguage. Without ever having previously attacked the role in that language he played the part with Melba and Bourkc within a week.

The tenor is a handsome, round-faced happy dispositioherl Irishman, with a touch of the old bpanish blood distinguishable in Mspa.e complexion'and clustering, blackhair. Ho is debomiair and easv, if not impressive ns an actor, but as "a singer ho has a flood of glorious notes that pl?y on the emotions and sensibilities Mr. M'Cormack will. be managed bv Mr. 11. N. Southwell, and he will be supported by Miss Rosina Buckmann, the talented New Zealand soprano, who has won praise as a principal with the Me'lba Opera Company, and Mr. Alfred Kaiifmann. one of the bassos of the same distinguished company. It is understood that a lew concerts will be given in the North Island only, as Mr. and Mrs M'Cormack and suite wish to pav a visit to Rotorua. The first concert "will be given in Wellington on January 12.

"Tho Garden of Allah," Tho production in New York of the dramatic version of ilr. llichons's "Garden of Allah," is reported vo have been "an undoubted triumph." The leading crilics appear to agree that, the piece was more wonderful as a sjKV'tacle than as a play, but that New 'iovk has the must notable slag'.' aciiirvcmi'iil' for many year', and that the acting (it Mr. liCWi* Waller, who v.vnt across tor the part of Boris,' and thus made his Ameri-. can debui. was leniiU'kably line.

"Tlit' i.iiinlt'ii of Allah,'" accordinc; lo one writer, is "one oi' the grontcst spectacle plays ever presented on any st;.;;c; tlieve arc scenes of typical Eastern iifc, Pi'.cli more wonderful than the other. It is a feast for the eye of exotic colour, with glimpses of the wonders of the desert, and lull of the wonderful spirit and atmosphere of' that region'." This note is struck at tho very beginning v! the sunrise oil tho desert, with its caravan of real camels,'Arab'horsemen,-don-key s,.and Barbary sheep.'. Then, in the dancing house of lieni .Mora, there are native -dances, accompanied by weird chanting" and music, true to the East—a scene of strange fascination. Xext cojiim the garden of Count Anteoni id which huge date patois reach skyward, real

water trickles over recks nnd into the pool of tropical (lowers of startling hrilliancv, ami two deep vistas, t.liroiisU which 0110 gels views "of the desert. This is succeeded by the desert of Mogar, with a raging sandstorm, in which. Hind, or its counterpart, is blown across tho stage into drifts* that cover tents ami people, followed by a remarkable night tcone, with .shooting stars and azure brilliancy, that Mies artistically into dawn. Later iho Trappist monastery near Tunis is shown—a quaint building, with its turret dovecote lilted with live doves, and finally another beautiful glimpse of AuIconi s_ garden and tho blinding des?rt beyond.

Air. Kobert Ilichens and his collaborator in tho drama. Mrs. Mary AndersonNavarra, crossed the Atlantic to superintend the rehearsals and the staging, and both, it is said, are more than pleased with tho tri>uph whioh was undoubtedly achieved. Twenty curtain-calls could not bring them before tho audience, hawever, and so Mr. Lewis Waller became tho centre of the tumultuous applause. For this engagement, it is said, Mr. V,"aller is receiving ,£2OO a week. ""What a pity," laments the "New York Sun" critic, "that tho American, theatre did not acquire him 20 year:? ago." Probably an effort will bo "made in this direction, but meanwhile ho is to como to Australia in tho spring.

Notes. , A short cut to matrimonv seems to be an engagement as a show girl in musical comedy. During the past year there has been an epidemic of marriage in the J. (.'. .Williamson ,\"ew Comic Opera Company, and there are no fewer than six girls at present in that company wearing diamond rings on the engagement finger. The "Gay Cordons" Company has also been thinned down by the ravages of matrimonv in the ranks.

Mr. Joseph Bla.scheck, the famous English humorist and elocutionist, will commence his New Zealand tour at Invcrcargill on December 2G, and will visit this town with hi; delightful entertainment of Humour and music. This popular entertainer introduces a delightfully novel entertainment, ( which ho entitles "Society Snapshots.'* In it ho presents a series of character studies and impersonations quite unique in their remarkable truth to nature. Mr. Illascheck brings with him Miss Mildred Brighton,- a lady who, as an en&rtainor, has probably been in greater demand in London than any artiste of recent years. 'She is an accomplished musician, both as an instrumentalist and n vocalist, and her famous "Songs at the Piano" were the success of last season in the great Metropolis.